For certain types of large-scale computing applications, such as complex trading platforms that rely on time series data and where fractions of a second can have major impact on a transaction, it is important to utilize database technology that can perform very fast and low-latency transaction processing. An example of such database technology is a time-series database (e.g., kdb+ available from Kx Systems of Palo Alto, Calif.) that can be optimized for receiving, processing, and storing large amounts of structured data in real time.
In most enterprise-wide implementations, data within a time-series database is typically accessed by a wide variety of computing systems and processes (including client computing devices logging in from external networks). However, due to the emphasis on speed and processing performance, these types of databases generally lack robust authentication and access control mechanisms. Also, because the data contained in a time-series database can be sensitive and proprietary, the lack of sufficient authentication and access control could lead to unauthorized access and compromise of the database.